1. Scope of Invention
This invention relates generally to exercise devices, and more particularly to a variable weight exercise device for exercising wrists, arms, shoulders and related muscles.
2. Prior Art
An endless range of exercise devices for strengthening muscles of the human anatomy are well known. One general class of such exercise devices includes those which provide a weight which is movable in some fashion to provide a resistive force to muscle movement.
One such device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,933 invented by Cedro which teaches a wrist stick multi-function exercise device usable in combination with a weight on the end of a rope which exercises the wrists and forearms as the rope is raised by rotation of the stick. The device is also useful by grasping at one end thereof for exercising some of the arm and shoulder muscles.
An early U.S. Pat. No. 2,470,816 by Harvey also discloses a weight exercising device which includes two spaced grips or sleeves positioned on an elongated cylindrical shaft and having a movable weight securable along the length of the remainder of the shaft by clamping means.
Another wrist and arm exercise device is disclosed by Estwanik in U.S. Pat. No. 4,411,423 teaching an exercise adapter connectable onto the grip of a tennis racket and utilizing a duffle bag or the like connectable at the end of a flexible rope, the duffle bag being lifted by rotation of the tennis racket by the user.
Applicant is also aware of a bicep exercising curling bar disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,312,506 by Brennan. This reference teaches the use of a cushioned weight-distributing plate having a hand grip rod laterally offset from a pair of weight-supporting rods which avoid pronation of the wrists.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,869,491, Nolan teaches an exercise device for strengthening the wrists which includes a pair of non-aligned hand grips rotatably mounted on a non-linear bar and spring biased to resist rotation of the hand grips.
A French Patent No. 1031855 presented by Corbin, according to the drawings, teaches a conventional bar bell having movable weights at each end positioned along the bar bell through the use of either a set screw or ball detent arrangement.
The present invention provides a weight exercise device having a cushioned grip at one end of an elongated cylindrical weight bar and a plurality of variously sized weights which slidably engage onto the weight bar and are held in the desired position and arrangement by O-rings at each end of one or more of the weights in sequence within spaced grooves formed along the length of the weight bar.